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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25158961">Calling Station</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/back2beesness/pseuds/back2beesness'>back2beesness</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Winning Hand [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>All For The Game - Nora Sakavic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anyways, BAMF Neil Josten, Gen, It just slipped out, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, and some stuff that raises more questions about what neil is playing at, i always want some bamf neil so, no i don't play poker what do i look like straight, so guess what's turning into a series, some explanation of what exactly is happening, thought it'd be a two parter but that's not happening either, three? four? who knows, turns out i can't cut anything short can i, ugggh, yes the title is a poker term</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 04:28:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,412</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25158961</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/back2beesness/pseuds/back2beesness</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens after Neil pops off. Or at least some of what happens.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Winning Hand [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1822588</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>123</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Calling Station</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So some of this is borrowed from the book, and by some I mean literally only like two lines, and I think they may both be paraphrased. But hey, better safe than sorry. Also: there's more coming, so if you're still confused at the end...it's probably on purpose. Or it's my shitty writing. But hey, it's definitely one of those two.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The ride back to campus was about as long and awkward as Neil was expecting. Well, actually he’d been expecting to be interrogated the minute they’d walked out of the banquet hall doors. Patience wasn’t exactly a key Fox virtue. Not to mention, Kevin was a ticking time bomb about to go off in the corner, so he knew Andrew would be at his throat in a heartbeat once they were clear of the Ravens’ prying eyes. </p><p>	He’d figured out pretty early on that despite how dangerous Andrew thought Neil was, his deal with Kevin always came first. It was one of the things Neil missed most about his time on the run with his mother; say what you would about her parenting skills, she’d always put his safety first. Once he was on his own, he’d put his life lower on the list of priorities than he probably should have. Quality of life kept popping up higher on that list, and when he looked away for a minute he often found himself doing stupid things like signing up for sports teams and making friends and paying for food other than microwave meals.</p><p>	Ironically, it was Andrew who saved him from the onslaught. Right as Allison opened her mouth, most likely to get some much-needed answers, Andrew’s phone rang. Given the general shell shock, it was more than enough to derail the Foxes’ attention, and the look on Andrew’s face when he checked the caller ID seemed to be more pressing to the group as a whole than Neil’s latest linguistic fireball in the other room.</p><p>	It was saying something that Andrew’s smile, in the height of his mania, faltered when he answered the call. The silence was deafening, and the parking lot next to the emergency exit the Foxes had stumbled out of before the end of the party was nearly abandoned save for the parked buses, only serving to heighten the suspense of it all even more, although it was possible that had more to do with the Foxes’ propensity for gossip than the setting.</p><p>	Andrew’s face hardly changed as he held the phone to his ear, clearly listening to whoever it was talking.</p><p>	His eyes narrowed slightly. “When?”</p><p>	The silence dragged on and the tension in the air could’ve been cut with a knife. Whoever Andrew was talking to, or rather, listening to, clearly had something fairly extensive to explain, made even more mystifying by the fact that Andrew hadn’t just hung up within the first minute like he usually did when someone called him.</p><p>	“Fine.” Another beat. “Yes.”</p><p>	Just as Nicky looked like he was about to step in and say something, Andrew hung up. His gaze turned predictably straight to Neil.</p><p>	He laughed. “Well then, runaway. Looks like you’ve been holding out on us.”</p><p>	Neil opened his mouth, fairly sure he knew what the contents of that phone call had been about. It had been the most unpredictable element of his whole plan. His own safety was one thing to bargain with; Kevin’s was something entirely different. He had a feeling once Andrew got a better idea of the kind of shit Neil had pulled, there’d be hell to pay. Helping Andrew had been somewhat of an afterthought. He’d honestly been thinking of the team as a whole, for the most part, not to mention securing his and Kevin’s futures. But he couldn’t deny that there was something that had pushed him towards pulling some strings regarding Andrew. Neil wasn’t entirely sure what it was. He and Andrew were on shaky terms as it was, but still, after learning more about what exactly Andrew was doing here, why he did the things he did, Neil couldn’t deny that he...saw something there. A piece of himself, or what he could be. He’d never been the protector, never been home for anyone before, or had the same offered in return. He’d never had the chance. But there was something about Andrew, something in how he was broken, or maybe in how he wasn’t, that spoke to Neil in a way he’d never felt before. Something in him that recognized Andrew was the same as him, that they were versions of each other in a twisted, fun-house mirror. Something he was fairly sure Andrew had recognized too, based on the intensity with which he’d been attempting to drive him out. Attachment was weakness. They’d both learned that the hard way. So going into meddling with Andrew’s business, he knew that Andrew wasn’t going to accept favors without giving something up in return. He’d been betting on it, in fact.</p><p>	Before he could explain, or even begin to, Andrew cut him off.</p><p>	“Riddle me this, puppet master. What is exactly was your plan for Kevin? Or was your stalker crush only enough to train under him, and not enough to save him?”</p><p>	“He’s as safe as I am. For now.”</p><p>	“Oh, and that’s supposed to be reassuring? I thought your whole thing was being terrified for your life. Or was that a lie?”</p><p>“It wasn’t. But things have changed. I’ll explain, I promise. It’s still your choice.”</p><p>“Is it though? You thought I’d what, trust your word? Break my promises, leave them alone?”</p><p>“They won’t be alone. It’s one month. Nicky and Aaron can still go to Germany and stay with Erik.”</p><p>“And Kevin?”</p><p>“Give Kevin to me.”</p><p>“Oh Neil, I think you’re vastly overestimating how much I trust you. Because, turns out, I don’t. At all.”</p><p>Neil sighed, inching closer to Andrew and fully turning his back on the rest of the Foxes.</p><p>He lowered his voice. “Then don’t trust Neil. Trust me.”</p><p>“And who would that be, exactly.”</p><p>“If you want a name, call me Abram. It’s my middle name. Plus, it’s as real as I can give you for now.”</p><p>“Not good enough, rabbit.”</p><p>“How about this? A truth on credit.”</p><p>He reached out a hand, grabbing Andrew’s wrist lightly enough for him to break out of easily, placing his palm on the scars lining Neil’s stomach.</p><p>Andrew’s smile wavered slightly as a line formed between his eyebrows, until his mania came back in full force and he started laughing slightly hysterically.</p><p>“And to think, you almost had me thinking you were nobody.”</p><p>“I am nobody. Now at least.”</p><p>Andrew nodded. “Fine. Anything happens to him and it’s on your head.”</p><p>“I was expecting nothing less.”</p><p>Neil stepped back as Andrew turned to face address Wymack.</p><p>“Turns out I’m off to a holiday retreat Coach! Looks like I’ll be seeing you all in the New Year.”</p><p>Wymack rubbed at a spot on his temple. “Spectacular Minyard. Care to explain what the flying fuck is going on?”</p><p>“Why don’t we let Neil do the explaining, hm? Since he seems to have the answers to everything?”</p><p>	Neil rolled his eyes. “Fine. Can it wait until morning at least?”</p><p>	The team grunted various agreements. For a team that did as much traveling as they did, hours of driving combined with some awkward socialization really could wear them out.</p><p>	So that’s how Neil ended up sitting curled in his window seat, watching the trees blur past the raindrops on the bus window. He had his hoodie balled up under his head, laying against the glass. He was used to making due sleeping on the road. Usually, he just let his neck suffer rather than risk cracking his skull open as it bounced against the glass, but since he’d joined the Foxes he’d begun accumulating more and more items of clothing, to the point that he wasn’t just dressed for the bare minimum anymore. Although it is was entirely possible that this was Matt’s hoodie and not his, especially since he’d just grabbed it off of the back of the couch before they’d left to catch the bus. They were given the same team merchandise, and the budget hadn’t splurged for their names and numbers on the back, which made it difficult at times to tell the difference. Matt was the tallest though, giving him the largest size other than Seth, whose matching sweatshirt Neil was fairly sure Allison had boxed up and put in storage along with the rest of his personal belongings. She could afford to rent the space, and according to Dan, she hadn’t worked up the courage to sort through it all yet. Generally, Neil avoided thinking about it, since it made him feel vaguely nauseous. Just thinking about how if Ichirou had cornered him a month earlier, Seth might still be alive made him sick with guilt. Objectively he knew it wasn’t his fault. But it didn’t make it less of a burden to carry.</p><p>	He knew Allison, just like the rest of his teammates, were probably dying for an explanation, but he didn’t have it in him just then. And strangely enough, they were pretty good at respecting his wishes on things like that, even though he’d done so little to earn that trust and respect. He knew at least Kevin and Andrew had picked up on what he’d told Riko at the banquet. Wymack probably would’ve as well if he had been within earshot. </p><p>	The mention of Ichirou and deals was enough for Kevin and Andrew, with their knowledge of the main branch and Moriyama family politics, not to mention Kevin’s past with Nathaniel, to most likely follow the whole exchange.</p><p>	He’d felt guilty keeping it from Kevin, but he’d been planning on keeping his bargain with Ichirou to himself for much longer. It had been a week since Ichirou and his men had “invited” Neil to a meeting, sitting him down in an unmarked car with their new Master while he walked between classes. Once he’d figured out that Ichirou was planning a coup on his father’s deathbed, he knew he had an in. Kengo had been in charge of the main branch for years, and his network was extensive but exclusively loyal to him. Ichirou taking over, especially by force, rather than waiting for his father’s eventual but slow demise was certainly going to ruffle some important feathers.</p><p>	That’s when Neil offered himself and Kevin up. Part of the income from the rest of their careers in exchange for amnesty from the Moriyamas. Unfortunately, Ichirou wasn’t exactly brainless. He’d seemed more than wary of giving protection to two untested, potentially titleless college exy players. Between Kevin’s injury and Neil’s ineptitude, they were a hard sell. So Neil offered a trial period. If the Foxes, with Kevin and Neil alongside them, made it to the Final Three, they could consider the deal settled. If not, then their lives were forfeit. Neil hadn’t exactly stated that second part, but it was fairly heavily implied by the unspoken “or else” that had hung over the whole conversation from Ichirous’s seat in the car.</p><p>	He’d known it was risky. But it was the only thing he had to offer. Neil had considered ending the conversation there, and it seemed that Ichirou agreed, until he remembered Riko. When he asked about him, Ichirou assured him that Riko was a threat to his rule he’d intended to deal with anyways, but not until they could maximize any profits off the Raven’s last season with him as captain.</p><p>	All that left was Nathan. Ichirou made it clear that he had no intention of getting rid of Neil’s father, and although he was willing to order Neil to be kept alive, there was little he could do to stop any other degree of interference from The Butcher and his men. It was pretty much what Neil had expected. So he played his final card. In exchange for removing the problem that was Nathan and his circle, Neil offered to act as a go-between for the Moriyamas and the Hatfords. He’d had a hunch the Moriyamas had been struggling on that front for a while now, and so he explained that with Nathan on their payroll, Stuart and the rest of the Hatfords were unlikely to consider a deal with the Moriyamas under any circumstances. With what happened to Mary, they had considered him a public enemy for years. Ichirou’s mask didn’t slip, but he gave a small nod that made Neil want to collapse in relief. He told Ichirou that he’d travel to England after getting in contact with his relatives across the pond over Winter Break, and that they could continue from there through the New Year. After a deafening silence, Ichirou nodded again and flicked his hand, seeming to dismiss Neil completely. Unsure of the proper protocol for yakuza bosses, Neil gave a small, deferential dip of the head before nearly bolting from the car. He’d skipped his next class and went back to the dorm, hiding himself away in the corner by his bed and attempting to slow his racing heart.</p><p>	After that, all it took was a few calls to his Uncle and his mother’s contacts, and everything seemed to be going smoothly.</p><p>	And then came the problem of telling Kevin. So he decided not to. When it came down to it, Kevin was already going to push improving his skills, regardless of this new motivation. It could drive Kevin to the breaking point if he found out that he was literally playing for his life. Neil knew he had to tell Andrew, or else he’d never leave him alone, but Kevin and the rest of the team could at least wait until they got closer to the finals. It might be enough to push them to play harder in the final stretch, but telling them now might just break them and ruin their chances. So he waited. Until Riko opened his stupid fucking mouth. And Neil had just snapped. His mother had always berated him for his temper; he probably should have listened.</p><p>	But now that plan seemed to be crumbling around him. Fortunately though, Neil was no stranger to changing plans last minute.</p><p>	The rest of the ride back to campus was uneventful and the Foxes shuffled off tiredly to their dorms without another word once they arrived. On his way into his room, Andrew had given Neil one final grin and a mocking salute. The rest of them probably didn’t know it, but it’d be a while until they saw him again, so Neil gave him a small nod in return, hoping that he’d be able to piece things back together in the morning.</p>
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